25 Jan Habitual felon sent to prison for drugs, guns | News
A Canton man whose home had become a well-known nuisance in the Dutch Cove area is going to prison for at least seven years.
Last week, Matthew Dillon Smathers, 34, received a sentence of 86-134 months after pleading guilty to methamphetamine and fentanyl charges along with admitting habitual felon status, which automatically bumps up the sentencing on all convictions.
According to a press release sent out by District Attorney Ashley Welch, the charges for which Smathers was convicted came out of a probation search of his home on May 10, 2018, and the plea also includes a revocation of that probationary sentence.
“Often our best leads come from probation officers who are out in the community who then share information with narcotics investigators,” Welch said in the release. “It’s a mutual flow of information meant to catch persons engaging in criminal activity.”
The release also highlights just how bad the situation was at Smathers’ home at 4500 Dutch Cove Road, noting that there were reports about drugs, guns and multiple offenders staying at the house.
“Smathers and four other known drug users were located and charged. Methamphetamine, fentanyl, paraphernalia, and cash were seized from several locations around the home,” the release reads.
Welch heaped a typical amount of praise on the law enforcement officers who were involved.
“The house at 4500 Dutch Cove Road has been a problem for Dutch Cove residents for quite some time,” Welch said. “And with the help of Sheriff Greg Christopher, his deputies, and the Haywood County Probation Office, we’re sending a message to the community with the sentencing of Matthew Smathers — that we hear you and will pursue justice for you to the best of our abilities.”